Get A Room Get a room.com Deceptive tactics to charge for cancellation , Internet

I called Get A Room to make reservations. Before I booked I asked Kelley, the reservationist, would there be any charge if I needed to cancel the reservations because our area had a threat of dangerous weather . She said if I cancelled by the 18th there would be no charge; this was the 15th. I called on the 16th to cancel and was told it was too late by Gavin. I told him what I was told by Kelley and he confirmed that he saw the e-mail  I was sent that said I could cancel by the 18th without a charge. He said he would find out what went wrong and call me back. Desiree called me back and said the e-mail stated there was no charge if I cancelled by the 18th of the month before. (I made the reservations on 4/15/2011 and the confirmation e-mail read there was no charge if cancellation was before 3/18/2011)  I explained to her I did not have access to  the confirmation e-mail before I made the reservations; I trusted the reservationist who indicated it was the approaching 18th, not the 18th of a month that had already passed. The reservationist should have said there was a charge of one night stay, plus fees and taxes, ($180.24) because the date of cancellation without charge had already passed.  Instead , she said there was no charge if I cancelled by the 18th.  Desiree said she would check with billing and call me back. Gavin called back and said there would be no refund. When I reminded him that he had even thought it was the 18th of the present month, he said, "Yes, I misread it, but that does not change the policy." He also said he was not going to discuss it further because it was already done.  This is deception and trickery personified. The amount, $180.24 is an exorbitant price to pay for nothing when I was  deceived. I am going to do all I can to make sure no one else get taken like I was. I am going to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau , Consumer Affairs, and any other consumer agency I can find. This is a clever scam. Do not do business with this company that condones such unethical practices.

Cheryl, Marion, SC